Still in a festive mood post-New Year’s? The menu is ready, the table is set, and your outfit’s all planned out. But wait, what are your guests drinking? Fret not, here comes Butterkicap’s list of easy drink recipes to the rescue.

From classic favourites to fancy mocktails with a local twist, here are six recipes that are easy to make and sure to keep your guests happy. All recipes serve 10 unless otherwise stated.

1. Sirap cincau aka grass jelly with rose syrup

Ingredients

• 500ml rose syrup
• 500g grass jelly
• 3 litres water
• ice

Method

• Julienne or cut the cincau into little cubes.
• In a large jug, combine the rose syrup and water and mix thoroughly.
• Add the grass jelly.
• Add the ice when ready to serve.
• Stir to get bits of cincau into the glass when pouring.

Tips

• Different brands of rose syrup may have different syrup-to-water ratios.
• It’s okay to err on the sweet side as Malaysians do love their drinks sweet. You can always top up individual glasses with extra water if guests prefer their drinks slightly less diabetes-inducing.

2. Sirap Bandung soda 

Bright pink and normally very sweet, sirap Bandung is either loved or loathed.

But this recipe elevates the standard Bandung with the inclusion of ice cream soda, turning this drink into one that is surprisingly refreshing despite its shocking pink tones and sweetness.

Ingredients

• 500ml rose syrup
• 720g evaporated milk
• 1.65 litres ice cream soda
• 500ml water
• ice

Method

• Mix the syrup and evaporated milk in a large jug. Stir thoroughly.
• Add the water and stir.
• Add the ice and stir.
• Finally, add the ice cream soda and stir. Easy!

Tips

• Avoid watering down this drink; let the ice reduce its sweetness instead.

3. Grass jelly soya

This drink is also affectionately known as “Michael Jackson” due to its black-and-white colour combination. It’s a very enriching drink and the grass jelly adds a great, chewy texture that is very light on the palate.

Ingredients

• 4 litres cold unsweetened soya bean milk
• 1kg grass jelly
• 250g coconut sugar (gula Melaka)
• 250g hot water

Method

• Grate the coconut sugar.
• In a small pot, add hot boiling water to the grated coconut sugar and whisk to melt.
• Julienne or cut the grass jelly into little cubes.
• Pour the soya bean milk into a large jug.
• Add the coconut sugar syrup and stir thoroughly.
• Add the grass jelly.
• Don’t forget to scoop out the grass jelly into the glasses when serving.

Tips

• Avoid adding ice as watered-down soya bean milk does not taste as good.
• Skip boxed soya milk: go to your local market or soya-bean food truck instead to get a nice fresh unsweetened supply.

4. Fizzy fruit punch

This next drink is one that brings back memories, especially when served in an intricately cut glass punch bowl with matching cups and ladle.

Ingredients

• 200ml orange Sunquick cordial
• 200ml rose syrup
• 3 litres Sprite or 7-Up
• 3 litres ice cream soda
• 2 large lemons
• 2 large navel oranges
• ice

Method

• Slice the oranges and lemons thinly.
• In a large jug or drink dispenser, mix the Sunquick cordial and rose syrup. Stir thoroughly.
• Add Sprite or 7-up and ice cream soda. Give it a good stir.
• Top with orange and lemon slices and ice.

Tips

• You do not need to include sliced fruits into glasses when serving, but it does make for a prettier picture.
• Have a punch bowl? Use that instead!

5. Air mata kucing aka dried longan

Air mata kucing literally means “cats’ tears”, but thankfully its list of ingredients does not call for any member of the feline population. Instead, it is made with dried mata kucing, or longan.

This lovely beverage has a slightly herbal, caramelised flavour and a deliciously dark tone. This recipe adds a little twist to the standard air mata kucing with the added flavour of pandan.

Ingredients

• 775g dried longan
• 375ml + 375ml hot water
• 300g coconut sugar (gula Melaka)
• 10 tbsp molasses
• 2.5 tbsp white sugar
• 8 pandan leaves, knotted
• 1.25 litres water
• ice

Method

• In a bowl, soak the dried longan with 375ml hot water and cover.
• In a deep pan or pot, mix 375ml hot water with the coconut sugar, molasses, white sugar and pandan leaves. Stir or whisk on medium-low heat until the sugars have thoroughly dissolved. Remove the pandan leaves.
• Once the dried longan has rehydrated, drain the excess water and combine the longan and sugar mixture in a large jug.
• Add water and stir thoroughly.
• Add ice.
• Don’t forget to scoop some longan into the glasses when serving guests.

Tip

• This drink is great for making ahead of time as the longan-sugar mixture can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for a week or two. Simply add water when you’re ready to serve.

6. Rosemary calamansi lime-ade

This is a refreshingly delicious mocktail to enjoy when you’d rather have a drink that’s more limey than sugar-sweet.

A combination of east-meets-west flavours coupled with the scent and taste of fresh rosemary adds a subtle but lovely dimension to this deceptively simple drink. This recipe serves 20.

Ingredients

• 325g white sugar
• 325g water
• 10g fresh rosemary (roughly 10 sprigs)
• 350g calamansi lime juice (about 100 limes)
• 350g lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
• 3 litres soda water
• ice

Method

• Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a pot and stir over medium-high heat. The sugar should dissolve thoroughly, resulting in a crystal-clear, slightly thick liquid. Once the edges start to simmer, remove from heat and let cool thoroughly.
• Using a pestle, bash the entire sprigs of rosemary. You just want to bruise them somewhat instead of disintegrating them thoroughly.
• Put the rosemary, including the bits that have fallen off, into a large jug.
• Add the calamansi lime and lemon juice. Stir.
• Next, add 1-1.5 litres of soda water and stir to mix thoroughly.
• Add the cooled sugar syrup.
• Finally, add the remaining soda water and stir.

Tips

• If serving from a jug, add ice to individual glasses upon serving so that the melting ice doesn’t dilute the soda too quickly.
• This drink is pretty enough to be served in individual glasses instead of one big jug.
• Don’t forget to add a sprig of bashed rosemary into each glass so the drink looks pretty.
• For extra bubbles, use canned soda water instead of bottled sparkling water.

Extra tips

• Don’t forget to have extra plain water on hand as some guests may not want anything sweet to drink.
• Get extra bags of ice and keep them in the freezer.

This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of her people, food and places.